Means for cleaning sewers.



J. BRUCE.

MEANS FOR CLEANING SBWERS. APPLIOATION FILED JULY24, 1912.

1387321.. Pat ented Feb. 17,1914.

WITNESSES JTTORNEM STATES PATENT onnicn.

JOHN BRUCE, OF IIT'ISBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

' MEANS FOR QLEANING SEWERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Feb. it, 1914.

-comparatively expensive besides putting the sewers out of use for a considerable period. I have concelved an improved device tor relleving the choke and cleaning out such sewers, the operation being quickly effected and at small expense.

In carrying out the invention, a small opening is cut in the sewer and my improved cleaning device is introduced through such opening and then rotated by means of a hand brace or other equivalent; The cleaning device is constructed of steel wire, preferably in the form of a loop, and the free ends of the strands of Wire are secured in a suitable clamp which is, in turn, attached to a hand-brace.

The details of construction and operation are as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional View of a branch sewer and main sewer with my improved cleaner introduced as in actual use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the main parts of the clamp in which the as in Fig. 1, to be inserted and secured in end of the cleaner is secured and by which it is attached to the hand-brace.

In Fig. 1, the-cleaner 'proper is indicated by 1, the same being formed of a length of steel wire doubled upon itself at the middle of its length, thus forming an extended narrow loop having its free or outer end rounded. The ends of the wire strands are held in a clamp-see Figs. 2- and 3-formed of two duplicate jaws 2 whose enlarged flattened ends are provided with grooves 3 to receive the wires. A screw-bolt 4. and wing nut 5-see Fig. Q'serVe to clamp the jaws 2 upon the wires, as shown in Figs. 1. and 2. The shanks of the jaws 2 are reduced and tapered, and adapted, when placed together,

the coolest of a hand-brace 6.

In order to obtain access to a branch choked, the earth over the sewer is removed,

as indicated at y in Fig. 1, and a slot or opening? is formed in the sewer .r. This opening is preferably formed close to the first trap where the downpipe from the roof is connected. The meeting ends of the wire cleaner 1 are then inserted through the opening 7 and 'racluall v fed into the sewer a', this being one by an operator standing on the ground above. 'llwo-operators are employed, one for introducing the cleaner proper l and the other for rotating the handbracc, since it is practically impossible to conveniently introduce the cleaner except when rotated during the operation. In other Words, if the cleaner be rotated and introduced at the same time, the latter opera'tion is easily efi'ected. The cleaner may be introduced far enough to extend into the main sewer a, as illustrated in Fig. 1. As soon as'the cleaner reaches the choke or 0bstruction, it begins to break up and penetrate the same, and very soon, operating 011 the principle of an auger, it passes through the obstruction and quickly removes it altogether, so that it may be washed down into the main sewer, In the same manner the cleaner operates in the main sewer itself to break up and remove any obstruction located adjacent to the mouth of the branch sewer During this operation, it will be understood that the cleaner may be rotated ell'cctively even though it describes a considerable angle. In fact, it it should be crooked or slightly bent when introduced into the sewer, this may be an advantage rath'erthan a detriment to its operatioi-i, for, upon being revolved, its strands expanding, as illuse tratcd in Fig. l.- into contact with the wall of the sewer, will sweep the surfacethereof and thus clean it more effectively.

It will be seen that by means of my device no digging is required sayc to form an opening in the earth sui'licicnt to permit access to the branch sewer for the purpose of forming the opening required for introduc- In practical experience, I have found that steel wire of S, 9, or 10 gage may be employed to advantage. r e

for rotating the clamp and wire as described. 7

2. The improved device for removing obstructions of sewers, consisting of an inofa tegral loop of spring-wire formed at the length of' wire doubled upon its middle of its length the outer end of the loop being rounded, and a holding clamp adapted to be applied and secured to-the ends of the wire composing the loop and havingtheform of crank brace, for rotating the loop manually, as described; s v

Theiniproved device for removing ob-- structions of sewers, consisting of a single 25 spring wire doubled upon itself at the mid.-

dle of its length, thils forming an integral loop, the strands ot'which extend alongside each other, a crank brace provided with-a clamp consisting of duplicate jaws adapted'vso to receive andhold the ends of the said loop, and a screw bolt applied to suclf jaws and provided with a wing nut for clamping them on the wires, the shanksof the jaws being reduced and tapered and thus adapted for 35, application to a hand brace for rotating the:

device as described. Y 7 a l I JOHN Witnessesi.

M. H. TEsH,

C. MART-IN CoNnLm.

3991:: at this patent may be obtainefi or five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. i 

